The Ginger Bread Man
by DianeShishio
Summary: Hermione gives Severus a box of homemade cookies for christmas. . . enchanted cookies, that is. InProgress


Disclaimer: I own a MP3 player, Ps2 and a computer. Harry Potter and its entirety belong to J.K Rowling.

A/N: My first HP fic. Nothing Really.

Constructive criticism is accepted and appreciated

ooooooo

"All written essays on our last lesson should be submitted by the end of the week an-"

Neville snorted, he couldn't believe their Professor was dishing out homework two days before their Christmas Break.

"Severus, do we really have to do this dumb assignment?" Neville complained.

People change, true. Who would have known that after 6 distressing years in Hogwarts, Neville would be bold enough to infuriate and pester their professors, as well as the Potions Master himself. As a result, their teachers would stop the lecture and storm out the room just before they blow their top off and take away a colossal amount of house points from Gryffindor. But Snape would never do that, everybody knows how he fancies taking off points from Gryffindor, and a student's impudence was more than enough reason to take off house points.

"My, my, Mister Longbottom, have you forgotten your manners?" Snape replied composedly. "10 points FROM Gryffindor."

"On what grounds, professor?"

"For disrespecting a teacher, you should NEVER call your instructors by their first name, unless they say so of course but . . . as for myself Longbottom, I prefer to be addressed as 'Professor Snape'." Snape answered unperturbedly. "And to answer your previous question, Mister Longbottom, Yes. Everyone should be doing this 'dumb' assignment, all essays should be at my office on Saturday, 3:00 pm SHARP!"

Neville, wordless at his teacher's calm approach, slumped back on his chair, and mumbled disjointed words as if he was reciting a prayer in Latin.

"But Professor" Harry interrupted. "How are we supposed to turn in our coursework at that time? Christmas Vacation is just two days away."

Snape strode off to Harry's place and gave him a threatening glare.

"I never expected to hear such a ludicrous excuse from you, Potter." Snape exclaimed with a hint of joviality in his voice. "It seems to me that, Mister Potter here has forgotten the chief function of an owl?"

"I bet, if it weren't for your Head Master to help you deal with the disciplinary committee and Miss Granger to assist you with your academics . . . you wouldn't have made it past your first year." Snape scoffed.

Snape broke eye contact with Harry. Momentarily scanning the room, looking at his 'precious' Slytherins' who were all sniggering, obviously trying to hold back their laughter. Then his attention was diverted to Hermione's vacant seat, 'Must be a terrible cold or something' Snape thought to himself.

Severus walked back to his desk. He took out a leather-bound logbook, and started to leaf through concoction formulas.

"And as I was saying a while ago, all written essays should be submitted at the end of the week and a practical exam is in order right after your brief vacation. You're all dismissed." Snape announced without even looking up from his notes.

After the last student had left, Severus stood and took off his billowing robes and his 'trench-coat like' attire with poise. Now only clad in a white long-sleeved shirt, which he had unbuttoned down to his navel and his black trousers. It was quite peculiar how warm the room's temperature was, his classrooms (including his chambers) were often unpleasantly cold since they were located below Hogwart's main building and during the season where snow was more than an ankle-deep, it really is strange.

Severus immediately resumed to his previous task after tossing his clothes at the far end of his desk.

'Nope, definitely NOT THIS' he muttered, thinking that the infusion he stumbled upon would be too complex for his students, and it would only create holocaust. Severus found it exceedingly difficult to come up with practical exams for his students, seeing that whenever he would give one, they would have to run reckless students to the Hospital Wing.

'If only all of my students had the intellect of Miss Granger . . .' Snape mused.

Just then, the door slightly opened and a bushy-haired Hermione Granger closed the door behind her after slipping into the room.

"Good Afternoon, Professor Snape." Hermoine chirped.

"A lovely afternoon to you too Miss Granger, though . . . Next time, try clenching your fist and bang it against the door at least three times before entering a room." Snape advised, without even looking at the girl.

"Oh! I'm sorry Professor, I forgot to knock." Hermione replied apologetically.

After a moment of silence, Snape heard the girl clear her throat, just about then he remembered his that shirt was wide open and that his chest was exposed for the entire world to see. Bewildered, Snape buttoned up his shirt trying to look composed despite the fact that his pulse rate has enormously increased.

"Forgive me, Miss Granger. As you can see, I'm not dressed for visitors." Snape muttered in a slightly jumpy tone.

"It all right professor, in fact it was quite a view." Hermione replied with a giggle.

"I'm sorry?"

Hermione didn't answer. She simply smiled at him and plopped down a box atop his desk. Snape eyed the box covered with alternating green and red wrapping paper, which also had an attractive olive-green nylon ribbon placed on top.

"They're cookies. Baked them myself." Hermione stated with pride. "I'll be leaving now professor."

Dumbfounded, Snape wondered why Hermione had given him an over decorated box filled with cookies that she had toiled upon.

"Happy Christmas, Professor!"


End file.
